Brace yourself for a deep dive into the fungal-infested world of The Last of Us! Join us as we explore the complete timeline, uncover Easter eggs only gamers caught, compare game-to-show differences, revisit the most brutal deaths, meet the incredible cast, and reveal behind-the-scenes secrets that shaped this post-apocalyptic masterpiece.
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00:00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're diving deep into the brutal, emotional, and unforgettable
00:00:09post-apocalyptic world of The Last of Us.
00:00:13And we're starting by piecing together its timeline.
00:00:18I wasn't alone.
00:00:21My best friend was there, and she got bit too.
00:00:26The Last of Us released in 2013 and almost immediately began earning praise.
00:00:32Players loved the morally grey journey of Joel and Ellie.
00:00:36While the world had been ravaged by the game's terrifying infected, the purpose of the story
00:00:41was in its title.
00:00:43Naughty Dog and Sony expertly explored the lengths to which people will go to to protect
00:00:48those they love, as well as what horrors they'd commit against their fellow man to survive.
00:00:55But how did we get here?
00:01:01Both games in the series use environmental storytelling and exposition to chart the descent
00:01:06of humanity in the 20 years before they take place.
00:01:11Welcome to WatchMojo, and this is The Last of Us Timeline Explained.
00:01:25Before we begin, it's important to note that The Last of Us TV adaptation features
00:01:31a different timeline than the games.
00:01:34While the show's events begin in 2003, the first entry starts in the same year it released,
00:01:412013.
00:01:42It opens on September 26th, the day that would forever be known as Outbreak Day.
00:01:48This was when the Cordyceps Brain Infection, or CBI, reached critical mass.
00:01:54The origins of the mutated fungus aren't explicitly stated.
00:01:58What we know is that it made its way from South America through infected crops, though
00:02:03Mexico and Central America were also warned against by the FDA.
00:02:07Regardless, by the time the game opens, hospital admittance has raised by 300% in Texas alone.
00:02:15In the early hours of September 27th, the U.S. military tried to contain the spread
00:02:20with disastrous results for many.
00:02:33At first, it seemed humanity was more than willing to fight back.
00:02:37Major cities were turned into quarantine zones by the Federal Disaster Response Agency, or
00:02:42FEDRA, which also authorized rescue missions to smaller, more secluded areas.
00:02:48In one such area, close to the Seattle QZ, they came across a woman who had kept her
00:02:53entire community alive while others around them fell.
00:02:57She claims to have had a vision about the infection being God's wrath and strove to
00:03:02lead a simpler, sin-free existence.
00:03:06Her followers would later refer to her as the Prophet, and themselves the Seraphites.
00:03:12However, they were far from the only group to form in response to their current situation.
00:03:31Not long after the Prophet's community was discovered, FEDRA ceased issuing search and
00:03:37rescue missions.
00:03:38Only a few months into 2014, and 60% of the world's population was either dead or infected.
00:03:46Even worse, it issued martial law and turned every quarantine zone into a police state.
00:03:52The Fireflies were founded in opposition to this, fighting to overthrow FEDRA, restore
00:03:58the original government, and find a cure for CBI.
00:04:07Hey, we're smuggling her?
00:04:11There's a crew of Fireflies that'll meet you at the Capitol building.
00:04:14That's not exactly close.
00:04:16You're capable.
00:04:19You hand her off, come back, the weapons are yours.
00:04:22Double what Roberts sold me.
00:04:23While we don't know who the group's founders were, Marlene is shown to be the strong-willed
00:04:28leader during the events of the games.
00:04:32The Fireflies would consistently cause trouble over the years to come, giving ordinary people
00:04:38the strength to overtake quarantine zones like those in Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.
00:04:49Despite everything, life continued on in its own way.
00:04:54Two vital characters to the series, Ellie Williams and Abby Anderson, were born in the
00:04:59late 2010s.
00:05:01As Ellie's mother died shortly after, she was given to Marlene for safekeeping.
00:05:06But the Firefly lifestyle is a dangerous one, and so with no other choice, Ellie was given
00:05:13to FEDRA.
00:05:15Let her go.
00:05:16You're recruiting kind of young, aren't you?
00:05:21She's not one of mine.
00:05:23During the first years of Ellie's life, another important group was formed.
00:05:28Just as they had in many other quarantine zones, FEDRA ruled over Seattle with little
00:05:33to no mercy.
00:05:35With no Fireflies to rely on, Jason and Emma Patterson founded the Washington Liberation
00:05:41Front in the mid-2020s, along with Isaac Dixon.
00:05:45No.
00:05:46It has to be all of them.
00:05:51Sir, we'd try attacking their island.
00:05:54Not like this.
00:05:57Not with everyone.
00:05:59There's a big storm a few days out.
00:06:03We're going to use it to mask our approach.
00:06:06However, they had no plans for restoring the Old World, and simply wanted FEDRA out of
00:06:12their lives.
00:06:13Branded as terrorists, the Pattersons were eventually killed, resulting in a major conflict
00:06:19between the two factions that saw the WLF eventually victorious.
00:06:24Unfortunately, that wouldn't be its last.
00:06:28The WLF, or Wolves, would turn Seattle into an impressive community, but not without violent
00:06:35conflicts with the Seraphites, which lasted for years.
00:06:39Never been this busy here.
00:06:40Something's going down.
00:06:41We'd better find Isaac.
00:06:45Other than these big groups and organizations, regular people found different ways of getting
00:06:50by outside the QZs.
00:06:53Unfortunately, the majority of them still chose violence over compassion.
00:06:58We've seen those known as Hunters, who trap and rob unsuspecting travelers of their gear
00:07:04before killing them.
00:07:05What's wrong with these guys?
00:07:07Catch your breath.
00:07:09We're leaving.
00:07:10Okay.
00:07:11Watch out!
00:07:12Stay down!
00:07:17The Seconds Game introduced Rattlers, a group that kidnapped people and used them for slave
00:07:23labor.
00:07:24Some desperate survivors would even turn to cannibalism.
00:07:28Not every community was founded with evil intentions, though.
00:07:32Some, like Tommy and Maria's commune in Jackson, Wyoming, were simply born out of a desire
00:07:38to live peacefully.
00:07:39Look who decided to join us.
00:07:40Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:07:41One for you.
00:07:42And one for you.
00:07:52While war waged between the WLF and Seraphites on one coast, Ellie grew up restlessly on
00:07:58the other.
00:07:59Her time attending Fedra schools was lonely, save for her friendship with Riley Abel, a
00:08:04fellow student with dreams of joining the Fireflies.
00:08:08Through a misadventure with her, Ellie would finally meet Marlene, Queen Firefly herself.
00:08:15And through a second, more tragic misadventure, she'd find out she was the one human alive
00:08:20immune to CBI.
00:08:22Fight for what?
00:08:26We're gonna turn into one of those things.
00:08:29There are a million ways we should have died before today.
00:08:36And a million ways we can die before tomorrow.
00:08:41But we fight for every second we get to spend with each other.
00:08:46Whether it's two minutes or two days, we don't give that up.
00:08:56Ellie's immunization realization is the last major event before the central story takes
00:09:01place.
00:09:02In the wake of Fedra's militaristic response, the people of The Last of Us were primed not
00:09:06to trust anyone outside their community.
00:09:09This mistrust continued and grew stronger, creating a perfect cocktail for the last of
00:09:14humanity to turn on each other quicker than the vicious infected.
00:09:18By piercing together the history of its world, we can see how the state and outcome of the
00:09:24games were inevitable.
00:09:27It's three weeks old.
00:09:28No, everyone turns within two days, so you stop bullshitting.
00:09:31It's three weeks, I swear.
00:09:35Why would she set you up?
00:09:37All right, gamers, get ready because this next one's for you.
00:09:41That's because we're highlighting all the Easter eggs that hardcore fans geeked out
00:09:45over the most.
00:09:48You want a petter?
00:09:49Yeah.
00:09:50What's your name?
00:09:51Shimmer.
00:09:52Shimmer.
00:09:54And today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 Easter eggs in The Last of
00:09:57Us season one that only gamers got.
00:10:01Her name is Ellie.
00:10:07For this list, we're looking at the best references and callbacks to the source material
00:10:11that immediately stuck out to fans who played through the story.
00:10:15If you haven't seen the show or played the games, beware of spoilers ahead.
00:10:20What was your favorite Last of Us gaming Easter egg?
00:10:24Number 10.
00:10:25A rabbit's end and the dawn of the wolf.
00:10:28So, isn't everything you hoped for got its ups and downs?
00:10:34Gamers braced themselves in episode eight because they knew Ellie hurt a cute rabbit
00:10:38at the same point in the story.
00:10:40But to their surprise, the animal got away free on the show because she tripped.
00:10:45Players who were happy the creators left that part out were likely equally happy to see
00:10:49a reference to the dawn of the wolf part two.
00:11:01Within the game, Joel revealed that he had taken his daughter to see that teen drama
00:11:05in the past.
00:11:06While that backstory isn't covered in the show, a poster for the movie is still seen
00:11:10in the mall during Ellie's flashback.
00:11:12It was great to see the show nod to those animal Easter eggs and more in a variety of
00:11:17ways.
00:11:24Number 9.
00:11:25Ellie fleshes out the infected enemy types.
00:11:37While the infected are just as terrifying on the show as they are in the game, there
00:11:41are several subtle differences between the two mediums.
00:11:45People who have played through The Last of Us tend to run into a lot more enemies during
00:11:49the journey.
00:11:50Additionally, the bloater enemy types are able to throw their own spores for extra damage.
00:11:55Even though the show didn't exactly follow that blueprint, they still hinted at it with
00:11:59one clever exchange.
00:12:01While Ellie is with Joel and Tess, she makes several references to the way the enemies
00:12:05act and present themselves in the game.
00:12:11This conversation was a clever way to acknowledge the trials gamers went through as they waded
00:12:16through a sea of clickers.
00:12:22Number 8.
00:12:23Showing us one of Ellie's off-screen accomplishments.
00:12:32During the period of the game where Joel and Ellie are traveling with Henry and Sam, the
00:12:35two lead characters get separated when a bunch of infected show up.
00:12:39Unfortunately, they reunite shortly after without much of an issue.
00:12:44Ellie even boasts about the fact that she took down a couple of infected off-screen.
00:12:56Instead of having her just talk about her fighting skills, the show went the extra mile
00:13:01and showed us.
00:13:02When Henry and Sam are traveling with the main heroes, a bunch of infected swarm the
00:13:06group.
00:13:07Ellie saves the brotherly duo from danger by taking down two enemies.
00:13:12Turning the gaming dialogue into an actual scene was a great way to show how capable
00:13:16she truly is.
00:13:22Number 7.
00:13:23Monkey trouble.
00:13:29The primates that Joel and Ellie run into on the show are relatively chill.
00:13:34However, gamers may have seen them in a completely different light.
00:13:38In the source material, you run into a few monkeys along your journey.
00:13:42But you also uncover an audio log that details what happened when a scientist had an encounter
00:13:47with an infected primate.
00:13:56Anyone who played the game was likely relieved that the monkeys didn't get too close to
00:14:00our heroes.
00:14:01But the clickers, harsh weather, and sinister humans are all big problems already.
00:14:06The last thing our heroes need to worry about in the apocalypse are monkeys with bad intentions.
00:14:17Number 6.
00:14:18An accurate Mortal Kombat fatality.
00:14:25It's been awesome to see the Mortal Kombat franchise get so many shout-outs in the TV
00:14:29series.
00:14:30Ellie had a poster in her room that we were extremely jealous of.
00:14:34And when she found a broken Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet, she was disappointed that
00:14:38she couldn't test her might.
00:14:47But the best reference to the franchise fittingly came in the episode where she does get to
00:14:51fight.
00:14:52After losing the first round, Ellie figures out how to win a match against Riley with
00:14:56Baraka.
00:14:57As an added bonus, she gets to execute a fatality.
00:15:11Riley's instructions on how to pull off the gruesome finishing move are entirely accurate.
00:15:16More than a few audience members were probably happy the writers did their gaming research.
00:15:25Number 5.
00:15:27Savage Starlight Comics.
00:15:34Throughout the first Last of Us game, the Savage Starlight comics stood out as the best
00:15:39collectibles.
00:15:40The detailed story summaries and vivid illustrations made it clear that the designers really loved
00:15:45the idea of this running series.
00:15:48So it wasn't surprising that Ellie's love for the Savage Starlight franchise made it
00:15:52into the show.
00:15:53She's seen reading various issues of the comic during season 1.
00:15:57In one case, the in-universe story even mirrored the plot.
00:16:01Ellie reads the accretion issue of Savage Starlight in episode 6.
00:16:14After reading about comic characters being forced to fight each other, she fends off
00:16:18an attack from her infected friend Sam.
00:16:20Only those who collected Savage Starlight caught on to that dark piece of foreshadowing
00:16:24and more.
00:16:32Number 4.
00:16:33The villainous David comes from a heroic location.
00:16:47David revealed he lived within the Pittsburgh QZ before he became a cult leader.
00:16:52For gamers, hearing that city name was surprising.
00:16:55In the source material, Joel and Ellie are attacked when they try to pass through Pittsburgh.
00:17:09The duo gets out safely thanks to their new allies Henry and Sam.
00:17:14That portion of the story takes place in Kansas City instead.
00:17:17Adding the Pittsburgh QZ into the sinister David's past was definitely one of the strangest
00:17:22ways the showrunners could've nodded to the city.
00:17:25But knowing he came from a military-controlled place that collapsed helped explain why he
00:17:29wanted his followers to live outside of a major city.
00:17:38Number 3.
00:17:39Flash-forwards to Ellie's future.
00:17:41If you're a fan who's played The Last of Us 2, you've probably picked up on several
00:17:46of the seeds the show's been planting about Ellie's future in Season 1.
00:18:00In Episode 6, she has a sweet conversation with Joel about space.
00:18:04Their talk hinted at a scene in the sequel game where they visit an astrological exhibit.
00:18:09In the same episode, Joel mentions a desire to take care of sheep.
00:18:39The Last of Us 2 notably showed that Ellie takes care of the same kind of animals in
00:18:53the future.
00:18:54Speaking of farm residents, the survivor forms a tight bond with a horse named Shimmer in
00:18:59the sequel.
00:19:00The show confirmed that it would follow that plot point by introducing the animal in Episode
00:19:056.
00:19:06Number 2.
00:19:31Ish's Survivor Story
00:19:38A quick shot of a drawing in the series served as a big reference to a lengthy survivor story.
00:19:43The illustration Joel stops to look at in the sewers features people named Danny and
00:19:47Ish.
00:19:48As it turns out, the latter person has a lot in common with Pedro Pascal's lead.
00:19:53Both Ish and Joel got used to surviving a certain way in a harsh world.
00:19:57However, everything changed when they met a child who could use protection.
00:20:23Unlike Joel, Ish stayed with his found family within the sewers until the infected got in.
00:20:29The ultimate fate of the group is still unknown.
00:20:32Although Ish's story was mostly conveyed through game collectibles, fans still got
00:20:37invested in his complex and mysterious tale.
00:20:45Number 1.
00:20:46Recasting Video Game Actors
00:21:15Although the show decided to cast new performers to play Joel and Ellie, their original voice
00:21:20actors still appeared in the series.
00:21:23After bringing the gruff lead man to life in the games, Troy Baker played a sinister
00:21:27survivor in Episode 7.
00:21:29Ashley Johnson also went from voicing Ellie to playing the character's mother on the
00:21:33show.
00:21:34Outside of that duo, Jeffrey Pierce portrayed a new character named Perry years after he
00:21:39voiced Joel's brother Tommy in the games.
00:21:42You only need to look at actress Merle Dandridge for the most obvious game to show casting.
00:22:05She played Marlene in both mediums.
00:22:08Thanks to great casting, gamers got to see a few performers demonstrate their talent
00:22:12in and out of live-action.
00:22:39From character tweaks to major plot changes, here now is a breakdown of the biggest differences
00:22:46between The Last of Us game and TV show.
00:22:57Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 differences
00:23:02between The Last of Us game and the show.
00:23:12For this list, we're looking at the biggest changes HBO made when adapting this beloved
00:23:16PlayStation title.
00:23:18If you haven't seen the show and played the games, beware of huge spoilers ahead.
00:23:22Know of any other big differences we missed?
00:23:25And how do you feel about the show overall?
00:23:28On the show, Joel wants to go on a cross-country journey after he loses contact with his sibling.
00:23:42He needs a car battery so he can reach his lost brother.
00:23:45After a survivor named Robert fails to deliver the battery, Joel and his ally Tess make a
00:23:50deal to transport Ellie in exchange for a new one.
00:23:53Things aren't quite as wholesome in the source material.
00:23:56In the game, Joel and Tess agree to take Ellie if the Fireflies give them the guns
00:24:00that Robert promised them.
00:24:06Tommy only comes in when he becomes the best chance they have of finding out where Ellie
00:24:10needs to go.
00:24:11By contrast, the show makes it clear that Tommy is much more important to Joel.
00:24:22The timeline and cause of the Cordyceps outbreak.
00:24:37One of the biggest differences between the TV series and game comes almost immediately
00:24:41after the show begins.
00:24:43We learn that the Cordyceps outbreak occurred in 2003.
00:24:46In the source material, the apocalypse started in the same year the game was released, 2013.
00:24:53The change was suggested by co-creator Craig Mazin so the series could take place the same
00:24:57year as the show premiered.
00:24:59He believed this change would make the events more personal to viewers.
00:25:02A different format also awarded the showrunners more room to expand on how the outbreak occurred.
00:25:12An epidemiologist explains how Cordyceps function in the premiere.
00:25:22The second episode also moved the outbreak's main point of origin from somewhere vaguely
00:25:26in South America to Jakarta, Indonesia.
00:25:39The Empty Mall
00:25:46There were a number of minor changes made between the digital Left Behind story expansion
00:25:51and its namesake episode on the series.
00:25:53While Ellie was remembering her past in the game, she also had to combat enemies in the
00:25:58present.
00:25:59The reason why she isn't fighting leads to the biggest change to this section of the
00:26:02story.
00:26:03In the game, Ellie searches an empty mall for any medical supplies while Joel is injured.
00:26:18Her quest through the building makes her think about the last moment she spent with Riley
00:26:21in another mall.
00:26:22On the show, the flashback is kicked off after an injured Joel tells her to abandon him.
00:26:27After remembering that she couldn't stop Riley's death, Ellie becomes more determined
00:26:32to save Joel's life.
00:26:40Where Joel Finds Tommy
00:26:42In episode 6, Joel finally made it to Tommy, and honestly, things couldn't be going better.
00:26:48Tommy revealed that he lives in a successful commune and is married to a woman named Maria.
00:26:53To top it all off, he also has a baby on the way.
00:27:04This brotherly reunion plays out differently in the game.
00:27:07While Tommy is still married to Maria, she isn't pregnant.
00:27:10Joel also met up with his sibling within the nice commune on the show.
00:27:17But in the game, he finds his brother near a hydroelectric dam working to restore electricity.
00:27:31In fact, players had to wait until part 2 to see the inside of the community that Tommy
00:27:35was working so hard for.
00:27:39And Joel and Ellie are captured by the Fireflies.
00:27:49After Joel and Ellie arrive in Salt Lake City, the Fireflies catch the duo off guard in both
00:27:54the show and the video game.
00:27:56However, the moment they pick up the protagonists is altered between mediums.
00:28:01The game features a section where Ellie and Joel attempt to cross a body of water and
00:28:06submerged.
00:28:07Although the duo makes it to the surface, the immune survivor nearly drowns.
00:28:17As Joel tries to revive Ellie, Fireflies arrive and knock him out.
00:28:21The series avoids water completely.
00:28:24Instead, the Fireflies drop smoke grenades before rendering Joel unconscious and capturing
00:28:29Ellie.
00:28:30In both mediums, the soldiers wouldn't have to get violent if they just asked a couple
00:28:34of questions before pouncing on the protagonists.
00:28:57Tess is a strong-willed ally that we're sad to lose in every medium.
00:29:02In both the game and show, she's bitten while the group tries to get through a museum encounter.
00:29:07Tess eventually sacrifices herself so Joel and Ellie can make it to safety, but her sacrifice
00:29:12is far more disturbing in live action.
00:29:15In the game, she stands up to Fedra officers to buy Joel and Ellie time and goes out in
00:29:20a blaze of gunfire.
00:29:22However, a large group of infected people, including one obsessed with PDA, storm the
00:29:35building on the show.
00:29:37Tess then decides to set off an explosion to take the enemies out.
00:29:40While the explosion is definitely more of a spectacle, the death still feels raw and
00:29:45personal.
00:29:56Number 4 – David Becomes More Horrifying
00:30:07Gamers knew all about David's horrific tendencies and inclinations before viewing the series.
00:30:13But the show made several additions that made our skin crawl even more.
00:30:17In the game, it's suggested that his people are A-OK with chowing down on humans.
00:30:22But in the show, many of David's followers are unaware what kind of meat they're really
00:30:26ingesting.
00:30:39We also get the backstory that he's a former math teacher who turned into a preacher after
00:30:43the world ended.
00:30:45Based on the disturbing things David said to Ellie and what he tries to do to her, he
00:30:49took jobs that allowed him to get closer to potential victims.
00:30:52Who knew that this villain could get even sicker than he already was?
00:31:16Number 3 – Infected Abilities
00:31:35Infected are all horrifying enemies that aren't to be taken lightly.
00:31:39However, their exact abilities differ between the source material and adaptation.
00:31:43In the game, dead Infected often spread infectious spores in dark places.
00:31:48This means everyone except Ellie must wear a gas mask in these locations to avoid turning
00:31:53into one.
00:31:58While there are no spores on the show, the live-action Infected gained a new hive-mind
00:32:03like feature.
00:32:31who disturb cordyceps in one place risk sending a signal to a horde in a completely different
00:32:36part of town.
00:32:37Additionally, the bloater can rip off fungal pieces and hurl them like poisonous grenades
00:32:42in the game.
00:32:43But the show version only showcased its intimidating strength.
00:32:52Number 2 – Bill and Frank's Relationship
00:33:21When Bill and Frank were adapted into live-action, their story got a lot more attention.
00:33:26After the outbreak, the duo began a romance that viewers saw unfold over the course of
00:33:30two decades.
00:33:32Their relationship concludes after Frank's body was wracked by illness.
00:33:35When he decides his life is at an end, his partner makes sure they both leave the world
00:33:39together.
00:34:05While we know both versions of Bill are paranoid survivalists, most of the episode's events
00:34:10were not depicted in the game.
00:34:12We never get to see the brighter parts of their relationship.
00:34:14In fact, players discover that Frank hated and stayed away from Bill.
00:34:19Sadly, the two didn't resolve their issues before Frank took his own life to avoid turning
00:34:24into an infected.
00:34:40Number 1 – Henry and Sam's Arc
00:35:07Although the outcome was more or less the same, the showrunners made big changes to
00:35:11Sam and Henry's chapter.
00:35:13For one, Sam isn't deaf in the game.
00:35:16The series also staged the events in Kansas City instead of Pittsburgh.
00:35:20Additionally, Kathleen doesn't exist in the game.
00:35:23Her presence was the most game-changing part of the story.
00:35:52In the game, Henry and Sam plan to join up with Fireflies.
00:35:56They ask Joel and Ellie for a team-up so the quartet can deal with the hunters that ambush
00:36:00travelers for their supplies.
00:36:01But in the adaptation, we discover the actions Henry took to save his sixth sibling inadvertently
00:36:06caused the death of Kathleen's brother.
00:36:09Her quest for revenge made the entire arc more tense, complex, and gripping.
00:36:22If there's one thing The Last of Us does not shy away from, it's gut-wrenching, violent
00:36:28demises.
00:36:29So, let's relive some of the best ones, shall we?
00:36:38Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Brutal Deaths
00:36:43in The Last of Us TV Show.
00:36:49For this list, we're looking at the most violent or upsetting demises seen in HBO's
00:36:54adaptation.
00:36:55That means a major spoiler warning is in effect.
00:36:58Which death shocked you the most?
00:37:0210. Brian
00:37:10This character is a case of the show building upon what happens in the source material.
00:37:14During the game's Pittsburgh chapter, Ellie must save Joel by shooting the man attacking
00:37:18him.
00:37:19While it's a headshot in the game, things don't go so smoothly in the show.
00:37:23After the duo is ambushed in Kansas City, it seems like this moment is about to play
00:37:27out.
00:37:35Ellie shoots the attacker from behind, hitting him in the spine and paralyzing him.
00:37:39We then learn his name is Brian as he begins to beg for his life.
00:37:51As Joel prepares to finish the job, they're not easy final words to listen to.
00:37:57Even though Brian dies off-screen, he isn't soon forgotten.
00:38:089. Tess
00:38:09Fans of the game obviously knew all the deaths that were coming.
00:38:13Yet the showrunners did their best to make them feel fresh.
00:38:16In the case of Tess, they made her demise a bit more disturbing and theatrical.
00:38:23As she, Joel, and Ellie make their way to the Massachusetts State House, Tess is bitten
00:38:28during an encounter with infected.
00:38:30Knowing that another horde is coming, she implores Joel to keep going with Ellie.
00:38:44In the game, it's a shootout with Fedra that claims Tess.
00:38:47Here, she douses the floor with gasoline and litters it with grenades in anticipation.
00:38:53Although we get an extremely unsettling shot of a stalker speeding up her infection, she
00:38:57drops her lighter and blows them all to kingdom come.
00:39:058. Alec
00:39:13Although this raider never gets to speak on-screen, his death has far-reaching consequences.
00:39:21After leaving Tommy's Commune in Episode 6, Joel and Ellie journey to the University
00:39:26of Eastern Colorado in search of the Fireflies.
00:39:28They learn where to look next, but are interrupted when raiders arrive.
00:39:39While attempting to flee, one of them attacks Joel, who swiftly snaps his neck before realizing
00:39:45he's been stabbed.
00:39:51Joel's possible demise is a gut-punch cliffhanger for viewers and poor Ellie.
00:40:01This death is also what leads David and his cannibals to hunt the pair in Episode 8.
00:40:05Not only that, but it's implied Alec's body is used to feed an unknowing community, including
00:40:11his wife and child.
00:40:17That is all kinds of wrong.
00:40:197. Anna
00:40:20Ellie's mother is long gone by the time The Last of Us game takes place, but HBO gave
00:40:26us a flashback to show her final moments, and they're about as heartbreaking as you
00:40:30might think.
00:40:36As she's going into labor, Anna is chased back to a farmhouse by an infected.
00:40:40While she manages to fight her pursuer off, she's bitten on the leg.
00:40:44She's only allowed mere moments with her new daughter before Marlene shows up.
00:40:59The doomed mother entrusts Ellie to her friend before asking the unthinkable.
00:41:03Although this death isn't as violent as others, it certainly brutalizes our emotions.
00:41:19Knowing she's played by Ashley Johnson, Ellie's actor from the games, makes this scene all
00:41:24the sadder.
00:41:266.
00:41:27Perry
00:41:28Jeffrey Pierce, who played Tommy in The Last of Us game, joined HBO's cast to play an
00:41:32entirely new character.
00:41:43Perry acts as second-in-command to Kathleen, a dangerous rebel leader in Kansas City.
00:41:48Kathleen's hunt for Henry in Episode 5 results in the most horrific infected encounter of
00:41:52the whole show, as well as Perry's very unfortunate end.
00:42:01The horde is bad enough to deal with, but they bring an immensely strong and durable
00:42:05bloater with them.
00:42:06While it easily dispatches allies around him, Perry tells his leader to get to safety as
00:42:11he prepares to take it on alone.
00:42:16Honorable, sure, but very foolish, the bloater rips Perry's head off as soon as it touches
00:42:26him.
00:42:275.
00:42:28Kathleen
00:42:29Well, just because she's told to find safety doesn't mean she does.
00:42:42Kathleen acts as a major villain during the fourth and fifth episodes.
00:42:46She relentlessly hunts Henry for ratting out her brother to Fedra, which led to his death.
00:42:51Her vengeance blinds her to everything, even the prospect of an infected horde underneath
00:42:56her city.
00:43:08The conflict comes to a boil during Episode 5's climax, and the bloater isn't the only
00:43:12intriguing enemy around.
00:43:14We see a little girl clicker use her unnerving flexibility to chase Ellie, and it's her who
00:43:19rescues our heroes in the end.
00:43:27As Kathleen has her prey cornered, the clicker jumps her from behind, wailing on and sinking
00:43:33her teeth into her.
00:43:354.
00:43:36Marlene
00:43:37We knew this moment was coming, and yet the ruthlessness still surprised us.
00:43:59During the finale, Joel and Ellie finally track down the Fireflies in Salt Lake City.
00:44:04That would normally be cause for celebration, except Marlene informs our hero that developing
00:44:09a cordyceps cure means Ellie has to die.
00:44:24Not
00:44:52willing to lose a second daughter, Joel mercilessly murders his way through the makeshift militia,
00:44:57including a very important doctor.
00:44:59When Marlene tries to reason with him, he puts a bullet in her stomach and another in
00:45:04her head while she begs for her life.
00:45:13The series didn't need to alter much when adapting this scene.
00:45:16In both the show and the game, it is absolutely cold-blooded.
00:45:203.
00:45:21Henry and Sam Episode 5 is a doozy, to be sure.
00:45:27Not only do we get memorably violent ends to some villains, but to some heroes as well.
00:45:42The group is able to make it out of the climax relatively unscathed.
00:45:46The exception, of course, is young Sam, who gets bitten on the leg.
00:45:59While this death scene plays out more or less the same in both mediums, the show adds some
00:46:03upsetting details.
00:46:05Sam being deaf in the show adds an extra dose of empathy, as does Ellie's attempt to save
00:46:10him by giving him some of her blood.
00:46:25Regardless, seeing Henry shoot his younger brother to save Ellie is heartbreaking.
00:46:32But when he takes his own life, that's true despair.
00:46:462.
00:46:47David
00:46:48If ever there was a villain who got what he had coming to him, it's David.
00:47:00I don't want to talk.
00:47:01I won't say it twice.
00:47:02Please, just 10 seconds.
00:47:03My name is David.
00:47:04This is my friend, James.
00:47:07We're from a larger group, women, children, and we're all very, very hungry.
00:47:13I'm from a large group, too.
00:47:16Also hungry.
00:47:17Well, even so, you can't drag this back on your own.
00:47:23We're not asking for charity.
00:47:25We can trade you for some of the deer.
00:47:27We have...
00:47:28What do you need?
00:47:29We have boots...
00:47:30For protection?
00:47:31Like for infection.
00:47:33In both the show and the game, he presents himself as a friendly stranger before the
00:47:37villainous reveal.
00:47:38He leads a group of survivors in Colorado.
00:47:41With food scarce, David and his men have taken to cannibalism, though many of his people
00:47:46seem to be unaware.
00:47:48As if that isn't horrid enough, he also prefers his romantic partners on the far younger side.
00:47:54He is extremely impressed by what he sees in Ellie.
00:47:57Think of what we could do together, as strong as we are.
00:48:03We'd make this place perfect.
00:48:05We'd grow, spread out, and we'd do whatever we needed for our people.
00:48:14Imagine the life we could give them.
00:48:24Imagine the life we could build.
00:48:32Extra nasty additions to his background make him all the more hateable.
00:48:37So when Ellie gains the upper hand against her adversary, we cheer her on.
00:48:54...
00:49:00Number one, Sarah.
00:49:02don't move.
00:49:05My daughter's hurt, her ankle-
00:49:07Stop right there.
00:49:09Okay, easy now.
00:49:12We're not sick!
00:49:13I got two civilians by the river, one of them injured.
00:49:18Ankle.
00:49:20What did Uncle Paul mean?
00:49:22I'm gonna get you somewhere safe first. Don't go back for him, okay?"
00:49:26I'm sorry, repeat? Hey, no one told you to move!
00:49:31Yes, sir. Yes, sir."
00:49:35As is the case with the game, it's hard to top the brutality of the opening death.
00:49:40The first episode details more of Joel and Sarah's day than we get in the game,
00:49:44greatly building upon their relationship.
00:49:47Fixed it for you.
00:49:55Did you? What?
00:49:57I don't hear anything. That was lame, you're lame.
00:50:01Yeah, I know. Where'd you get the money for this?
00:50:05When the world starts to fall apart, they flee their home with Tommy.
00:50:09That plan only gets them so far as infected and military swarm the area.
00:50:14Under orders to clear an area, a soldier guns down Joel and Sarah.
00:50:18We are not safe!
00:50:33I'm sorry. Please don't.
00:50:36While Tommy saves his brother, nothing can be done for Sarah.
00:50:40Joel. Come on, baby girl. Come on, baby girl, I gotta get you up.
00:50:45Come on. Come on, get up. Come on, baby girl. Come on. Come on, please.
00:51:02Even for those in the know, it isn't an easy scene to watch.
00:51:10It is harrowing, utterly heartbreaking, and it perfectly sets the mood for what's to come.
00:51:17A show like The Last of Us needs powerhouse performances,
00:51:22and I think it's safe to say that the cast has delivered.
00:51:25Let's take a look at who's behind these now iconic characters.
00:51:30Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're breaking down the cast of HBO's The Last of Us.
00:51:51For this list, we'll be looking at the most prominent players in this video game adaptation
00:51:56and where you may have seen them before.
00:51:58Are you enjoying HBO's retelling? And were you familiar with the games beforehand?
00:52:0510. Melanie Linsky
00:52:16This New Zealander plays Kathleen, a dangerous revolution leader and one of a handful of
00:52:21characters original to the show. But chances are good you've seen her on your TV screens before.
00:52:27One of her biggest roles was as Rose, Charlie's friendly stalker on Two and a Half Men,
00:52:33one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. She also voiced Beatrice in the animated Halloween
00:52:47staple Over the Garden Wall and plays the adult Shauna on Showtime's Yellowjackets,
00:52:53which earned her a lead actress Emmy nom in 2022. On the film side, she's mostly starred
00:53:03in indie fare like 2017's I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore and played supporting roles
00:53:09in big movies like 2021's Don't Look Up. 9. Storm Reid
00:53:18After making her film debut in the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave, Storm Reid has never slowed
00:53:24down. She picked up several supporting roles before teaming up with Disney to star in 2018's
00:53:30A Wrinkle in Time. Unfortunately, it was neither a financial success nor a critical one,
00:53:42though that had nothing to do with Reid's performance. Since then, she's peppered
00:53:47her filmography with critically acclaimed releases. She played Sydney in the excellent
00:53:51Invisible Man reboot, Bloodsport's daughter Tyla in The Suicide Squad, and starred in
00:53:572023's Missing. In The Last of Us, she plays Riley Abel, a crucial figure in Ellie's past.
00:54:04However, this isn't her first HBO show. You can see her on Euphoria as Rue's younger sister, Gia.
00:54:118. Lamar Johnson For all our Canadian viewers,
00:54:18you may be familiar with Lamar Johnson's dancing abilities on teen drama The Next Step,
00:54:23where he played West for over 100 episodes. In fact, teen drama has made up his biggest roles.
00:54:38In the 2018 adaptation of The Hate U Give, he played Star's older half-brother, Seven. He also
00:54:44played Charlie in the 2020 adaptation of YA romantic drama All the Bright Places. In between
00:55:00those features, he briefly appeared in 2019's Dark Phoenix, though its immensely poor reception
00:55:06didn't do much to help with recognition. In the HBO series, Johnson plays Henry, who allies
00:55:11himself with Joel and Ellie in order to protect his younger brother Sam, played by newcomer
00:55:17Kayvon Woodard. 7. Anna Torv
00:55:21While some characters in The Last of Us don't appear until much later in the story,
00:55:26Tess is an early ally to players, and a strong-willed one at that.
00:55:36In the show, Joel's complicated love interest is played by the Australian-born Anna Torv. Torv
00:55:42is best known for playing lead character Olivia Dunham on Fox's sci-fi series Fringe,
00:55:48which earned her several Saturn Awards. She also played the lead in the Australian
00:55:58political thriller series Secret City, and starred on Netflix's Mindhunter as Dr. Wendy Carr.
00:56:05Tess isn't even the first video game character she's played. Before breaking through with Fringe,
00:56:11Torv voiced Noriko in both the Heavenly Sword game and its animated adaptation.
00:56:196. Scott Shepard David is the leader of a group of survivors
00:56:24and doesn't appear until the game's third act, playing a major role leading up to the climax.
00:56:29In The Last of Us TV show, Scott Shepard takes on the role. After getting started with the NYC-based
00:56:35theater company, The Worcester Group, Shepard began picking up small roles in film. His
00:56:41breakthrough came when Steven Spielberg cast him in 2015's Bridge of Spies. He followed it up with
00:56:582016's The Young Pope for HBO, where he played Cardinal Dusselier. He has yet to play the leading
00:57:04man, playing supportive roles in El Camino and Dark Phoenix. Following The Last of Us,
00:57:12he'll appear in another work from an Oscar-winning filmmaker, Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower
00:57:17Moon. 5. Nick Offerman
00:57:23The Illinois-born Nick Offerman has been acting since the mid-90s. But it wasn't until his
00:57:28breakthrough role as Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation that most people began to take notice.
00:57:38The role brought the actor many opportunities. He's done voice work such as Metal Beard in the
00:57:43Lego Movie franchise and hosted the competition series Making It with Park's co-star Amy Poehler,
00:57:49which earned him two Emmy noms. He also voices Beef Tobin on Fox's animated sitcom The Great
00:58:03North and has played supportive parts in major comedies like 21 Jump Street. As the paranoid
00:58:09survivalist Bill, Offerman takes on a role unlike anything else he's done. Along with
00:58:14Murray Bartlett as Bill's partner, Frank, it's earned him critical acclaim. 4. Merle Dandridge
00:58:31While Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, and Jeffrey Pierce also appear in the series,
00:58:36Merle Dandridge is the only one to reprise her original role from The Last of Us game.
00:58:41As Marlene, leader of the Fireflies, Dandridge effortlessly steps back into the character that
00:58:47sets Joel and Ellie on their journey. Players have likely heard her voice before as Alex Vance in
00:58:59Half-Life 2 and its expansions. She also earned a Best Performer BAFTA as Kate Collins in the
00:59:05adventure game Everybody's Gone to the Rapture and briefly re-teamed with Last of Us creator
00:59:11Naughty Dog for Uncharted 4. On TV, she's played the lead in the Oprah Winfrey network drama
00:59:27Greenleaf and currently appears in ABC's firehouse drama Station 19. 3.
00:59:57Gabriel Luna After graduating from St. Edwards
01:00:01University in Austin, Texas in 2005, Gabriel Luna worked on making his acting dream a reality.
01:00:07Throughout the 2010s, he starred in two short-lived drama shows, but it was his role
01:00:12as Robbie Reyes on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. that brought him into geek culture. On the big screen,
01:00:24he played the ruthless Rev-9 in 2019's Terminator Dark Fate. As Joel's brother Tommy,
01:00:30Luna plays one of the more central characters. The two have a strained dynamic in the games,
01:00:36which has also been explored on the show.
01:01:082. Bella Ramsey As the lead character, Ellie, Bella Ramsey
01:01:31has some huge shoes to fill. But if her resume is any indication, she's up to the challenge.
01:01:39Her first role was as Liana Mormont on Game of Thrones, a character that was only meant to
01:01:50appear in one episode, but Ramsey's stellar portrayal ensured that wouldn't happen.
01:02:083. Mildred Hubble Fantasy has proven to be a great genre for her.
01:02:30She played Mildred Hubble in the first three seasons of The Worst Witch and voices the lead
01:02:35character on Hilda, both for Netflix. She's returned to HBO for a guest role on His Dark
01:02:41Materials and played the lead in Lena Dunham's historical comedy, Catherine Called Birdie.
01:02:46No matter what she does next, we'll be sure to pay attention.
01:02:504. Pedro Pascal The Chilean-born Pedro Pascal has become
01:03:09one of the world's favorite actors over the last decade. After appearing in guest roles on multiple
01:03:14TV shows, he hit it big when he played the charismatic Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones.
01:03:38This opened him up to starring roles like Netflix's Narcos and The Mandalorian,
01:03:42one of the better-received pieces of Star Wars media in recent memory.
01:03:59It hasn't been all TV work, though. He's dabbled in the comic book movie space,
01:04:04appearing in 2017's Kingsman, The Golden Circle, and played villain Maxwell Lord in Wonder Woman
01:04:111984. Although Joel is another dark role for the actor, he has shown he has comedic
01:04:16talent with movies like The Bubble and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
01:04:34We're going to end things today with a look at some behind-the-scenes secrets from the series.
01:04:40Enjoy!
01:04:41How'd you get that scar on your head?
01:04:44What, is it something lame, like you fell down the stairs or something?
01:04:47Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at The Last of Us cast's
01:04:51behind-the-scenes secrets reveal.
01:04:53So there aren't super-infected that explode fungus spores on you?
01:04:57Shit, I hope not.
01:04:59Or ones with split-open heads that stay in the dark like bats?
01:05:02For this list, we'll be looking at some of the most interesting tidbits that went into
01:05:06the making of this already-hit HBO show on the acting side of things.
01:05:11And these are just some of the things we know so far.
01:05:13If you haven't seen the first three episodes yet, beware of fungus-like spoilers.
01:05:18Do you know of any other juicy behind-the-scenes deets?
01:05:23Pedro Pascal signed on a day after reading the script.
01:05:27My daughter's hurt, her ankle.
01:05:28Stop right there!
01:05:31Okay, easy now.
01:05:34We're not sick!
01:05:35Fans have already made comparisons to another show where Pedro Pascal plays a grizzled badass
01:05:41who has to protect an endearing youngster.
01:05:43So it's no wonder why he'd be drawn to the script.
01:05:47So who's Bill and Frank?
01:05:52The radio's a smuggling code, right?
01:05:5460s song, they don't have anything new.
01:05:5670s, they got new stuff.
01:05:57What's 80s?
01:05:59Joking aside, Pascal clearly saw the potential for the show from the get-go.
01:06:04Agreeing to play Joel within a day of reading a script.
01:06:07In an interview with BuzzFeed,
01:06:09creator Neil Druckmann admitted to the creative team having eyed Pascal for a while,
01:06:14recognizing the nuance needed to play a haunted yet stoic survivor in the actor.
01:06:19Druckmann further elaborated,
01:06:21lauding Pascal for creating, quote,
01:06:23"'compelling moments of humanity that you see slowly emerge.'"
01:06:27Is it hard, like knowing they were people once?
01:06:35Sometimes.
01:06:36Other Ellie candidates.
01:06:38While the search for a Joel ostensibly wasn't too difficult,
01:06:42Ellie was a different story.
01:06:43State your name, slowly.
01:06:45Veronica.
01:06:46Same as yesterday.
01:06:48And the day before.
01:06:50And the day before.
01:06:51And the-
01:06:52Hey, people are gonna come looking for me.
01:06:54People from Fedra, you hear me?
01:06:56Back before it was a TV show,
01:06:58The Last of Us was potentially being developed as a movie,
01:07:00going back as far as 2014.
01:07:03Naturally, they looked at a lot of young actors who eventually aged out of the roles.
01:07:07Finally, a girl is no one.
01:07:13A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell.
01:07:17And I'm going home.
01:07:19Before they settled on Bella Ramsey,
01:07:21Druckmann had a chat with Ramsey's Game of Thrones co-star Maisie Williams.
01:07:25Another name Druckmann mentioned in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter
01:07:29was that of Booksmart star Cailin Deaver.
01:07:32Name one person whose life was so much better because they broke a couple of rules.
01:07:36Picasso.
01:07:37Yes, he broke art rules.
01:07:38Name a person who broke a real rule.
01:07:39Rosa Parks.
01:07:40Name another one.
01:07:40Susan B. Anthony.
01:07:41God damn it.
01:07:42As much as those two actors could have brought something interesting to the role,
01:07:46we can't see anyone but Ramsey as Ellie.
01:07:49Speaking of which...
01:07:50Hundreds of Ellie auditions.
01:07:53Finding an actor to so effectively play a 14-year-old in such extraordinary circumstances
01:07:58is no easy task,
01:07:59so it's not surprising that the producers had hundreds of girls audition for the part.
01:08:04What is interesting, however,
01:08:05is how easy it was to cast Ellie once Bella Ramsey's tape came in.
01:08:09How you feeling?
01:08:12The same.
01:08:16Is it gonna happen?
01:08:20No.
01:08:20Neil Druckmann saw some 100 audition tapes before coming across Ramsey's,
01:08:25at which point he didn't see Ramsey.
01:08:28He saw Ellie.
01:08:29You're flying one of those?
01:08:31A few times, sure.
01:08:33So lucky.
01:08:34Didn't feel like it at the time.
01:08:36Get shoved into a middle seat, paid 12 bucks for a sandwich.
01:08:39Dude, you got to go up in the sky.
01:08:42By no means are Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey
01:08:45one-to-one comparisons of their characters' video game counterparts,
01:08:48so it's heartening to know that they fit the parts in every way that counts.
01:08:52Druckmann was even as bold to say,
01:08:54quote,
01:08:55"'We just found Ellie in the real world and happened to put her in the show.'"
01:08:59I'm guessing you found this, Joel,
01:09:00because anyone else would have been electrocuted or blown up by one of my traps.
01:09:07A familiar Marlene.
01:09:08We are in a war against a military dictatorship to restore democracy
01:09:12and freedom to the son of our right.
01:09:14Yes.
01:09:14Are we winning?
01:09:15Are we beating FEDRA here?
01:09:16Are the Fireflies beating FEDRA anywhere?
01:09:18Rebellion takes time.
01:09:19Be five for 20 years and you get nowhere.
01:09:20You're not a rebellion.
01:09:22Just spray paint.
01:09:23The show, for the most part, has done pretty well finding actors
01:09:26who either physically or characteristically resemble the characters for the game,
01:09:30but they really couldn't do any better than Merle Dandridge as Marlene,
01:09:34probably because Dandridge played Marlene in the game too.
01:09:37I need something smuggled out of the city.
01:09:40You do that, I'll give you your guns back.
01:09:43Then some.
01:09:44Indeed, Dandridge is the only actor to reprise their role from the game here,
01:09:48and she works as well in the part as she did 10 years prior.
01:09:52Obviously, playing Marlene this time around was a whole other experience for Dandridge,
01:09:56who actually got to interact with the world directly
01:09:59rather than act on a motion capture stage.
01:10:01We were gonna move Ellie out of the zone tonight,
01:10:04but we won't make it anywhere like this, not for a while anyway.
01:10:07So now I'm thinking you're gonna do it.
01:10:10Circumstances and environments may change,
01:10:12but hey, when it works, it works.
01:10:15Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett's Casting Timeline
01:10:18Here's the thing, Frank.
01:10:20If I feed you, then every bum you talk to about it
01:10:23is gonna show up here looking for a free lunch.
01:10:25And this is not an Arby's.
01:10:29Arby's didn't have free lunch, it was a restaurant.
01:10:31Already, Long, Long Time is being called one of the best TV episodes of the year,
01:10:36as Bill and Frank's hauntingly beautiful apocalyptic love story
01:10:39has moved fans to tears.
01:10:41I should be furious,
01:10:47but from an objective point of view,
01:10:53it's incredibly romantic.
01:10:55Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett have such good chemistry
01:10:59that it's surprising producers didn't know this ahead of time
01:11:01with a screen test prior to casting.
01:11:04Indeed, Bartlett was cast a couple of months before Offerman,
01:11:07who replaced Chernobyl actor Con O'Neill due to scheduling conflicts.
01:11:12I got this offer a few days after finishing season one of The White Lotus.
01:11:19That couldn't have been a more perfect, perfectly dangled carrot.
01:11:24Finally, Offerman admitted in an interview with TV Line
01:11:27to just having finished watching The White Lotus season one before being cast,
01:11:32for which Bartlett won an Emmy.
01:11:34However, Frank and Armand couldn't be more different.
01:11:37I'm obsessed with you. I want to get you naked. What do I gotta do?
01:11:43Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal were told not to play the game.
01:11:47Okay, from this point forward, we are silent.
01:11:51Not quiet.
01:11:53Silent.
01:11:53Well, no question.
01:11:55Some actors find delving into a source material
01:11:58can provide a helpful roadmap when adapting a character.
01:12:01Others like to go in entirely fresh and find their own groove.
01:12:05This second method is what producers advised Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal to do.
01:12:10But did they listen?
01:12:11Mostly not.
01:12:12You ever play this one?
01:12:14I had a friend who knew everything about this game.
01:12:17There's this one character named Melina who takes off her mask,
01:12:19and she has monster teeth, and then she swallows you whole
01:12:22and barfs out your bones.
01:12:25To Ramsey's credit, she wasn't lying when she said
01:12:28she didn't play the game in preparation.
01:12:30But she did admit in an interview with USA Today
01:12:33to watching gameplay on YouTube.
01:12:35Pascal, on the other hand, completely ignored their advice.
01:12:38In an interview with Wired, he said he was, quote,
01:12:41very, very bad at it.
01:12:42But he did say his nephew was fantastic at it, so there's that.
01:12:46Don't fall asleep.
01:12:47Of course I won't.
01:12:48It's too riveting.
01:12:49Movement Boot Camp
01:12:51Often overlooked in a show with such stellar production designs
01:12:54and character development is those of the stunt actors,
01:12:58specifically those playing the infected.
01:13:05Much like actors playing walkers on The Walking Dead,
01:13:09infected actors here had to be put through
01:13:12what Neil Druckmann calls Movement Boot Camp
01:13:14to get the physical mannerisms down pat.
01:13:17We found some terrific actors who were fans of the game
01:13:20and understood the movement,
01:13:22and we're really happy with how it all turned out.
01:13:25We can't imagine the preciseness and discipline
01:13:28that goes into something like that,
01:13:30especially with the amount of fungus prosthetics
01:13:32that are covering their faces.
01:13:34But looking at the finished product,
01:13:36it's obvious that the filmmakers found a dedicated crop
01:13:39of physical actors to bring the infected
01:13:41to such chilling light.
01:13:43Bella Ramsey's Switchblade Idea
01:13:45Nice knife.
01:13:52Where'd you learn to do that?
01:13:53The circus.
01:13:54Filming was clearly a very collaborative
01:13:57and engaging process for those involved,
01:13:59if only evidenced by this scene.
01:14:01When we catch up with Joel, Tess, and Ellie
01:14:04in the second episode,
01:14:05we see the latter dozing with a switchblade in her hand.
01:14:08Morning.
01:14:09According to Neil Druckmann,
01:14:11this little prop inclusion was thought up on set
01:14:13by Bella Ramsey herself.
01:14:15She conjectured that this being Ellie's first night
01:14:18with her new traveling companions,
01:14:20there's no way she wouldn't be sleeping
01:14:21with some protection just in case,
01:14:23especially since the adults just found out
01:14:26she was technically infected the night before.
01:14:29No, no!
01:14:29No, I'm not sick!
01:14:31I'm not sick!
01:14:32I'm not sick!
01:14:33Look, look!
01:14:34This is three weeks old.
01:14:36Nobody lasts more than a day.
01:14:37Ellie has a myriad of reasons to want protection,
01:14:40but it's small character details like this
01:14:42that really speak to how the actors
01:14:44are fleshing them out.
01:14:45She so much as twitches.
01:14:48Don't.
01:14:55All right, well that's gonna do it
01:14:55for this special look at The Last of Us.
01:14:58So go on, grab your backpack.
01:15:00Keep an eye out for clickers,
01:15:02and I'll see you next time.
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